


And I Walk Away

by AngelWithAStory



Series: Good Omens [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bargaining, Blood, Character Death, Episode 58 Spoilers, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Twins, Vex'ahlia-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 18:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7372567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelWithAStory/pseuds/AngelWithAStory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vex’ahlia’s screams brought on the silence.<br/>She had fired the arrow before she even knew what she was doing. The incantation had left her lips before she even knew what she was doing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And I Walk Away

**Author's Note:**

> Something sad because angst is easy to write!
> 
> I have to say, as much as I love the idea of No Mercy Percy (especially after the Briarwood arc), I adore the idea of No Mercy Vex/Dark Vex'ahlia much _much_ more
> 
>  
> 
> ~~also it's 3am and i've been writing this since 1am so all mistakes are due to being reall _really_ tired soz~~

Vex’ahlia’s screams brought on the silence.

Vax’ildan lay on the ground, a blade splitting his skin and his blood pooling on the ground. His eyes found her and his hand twitched. He tried to reach out. Tried to hold his sister. He tried.

She had fired the arrow before she even knew what she was doing. The incantation had left her lips before she even knew what she was doing.

The Rakshasa exploded in flames and its ashes lay scattered on the grass. They’d have to deal with that some time. They’d have to deal with those assassins some time. But not now.

Now…

Vex ran.

She abandoned the broom and she ran.

Her body skidded on the harsh ground as she fell to her knees beside her brother. His body was already cold. That wasn’t right. That wasn’t natural.

Her hands fumbled with the potion, desperately pouring it down his throat.

Nothing.

Pike began to glow as she tried every spell in her arsenal. Her holy symbol glowing bright enough to blind as spell after spell was cast.

Nothing.

Pike knelt beside Vax’ildan, clutching to the last thread of life as she began a ritual that could bring him back. Vex’ahlia promised anything she could give. Keyleth promised her love. Grog promised his axe.

 _Nothing_.

Tears wet Vax’ildan’s face as his sister cried. She cried for not being fast enough. She cried for not being accurate enough. She cried for being the last of her mother’s blood.

She cried.

And she didn’t stop.

Dawn broke around them and Vex’ahlia still cried. Only Pike remained with her, her small hand gently carding through her hair.

The soothing words from a place of sympathy did nothing to sooth the scar on Vex’ahlia’s heart.

Footsteps grew louder and Vex’ahlia saw Percy walking towards them. She couldn’t take it. Not him. Not his sympathy.

She ran.

Vex’ahlia ran away. Trinket followed after her, letting her pull herself up onto his back.

_“Go!”_

And they ran.

They left Whitestone behind. There was nothing left for them there. Emon. They had to get back to Emon. Get a few last things from their rooms. After that. Vasselheim. To the Raven Queen’s temple. That was their plan. That was the only plan.

They travelled for days, barely resting, and only for a few hours when they did. The journey was rough, but they made it.

Emon was a ruin of a city. But they knew that. Seeing it again shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did. But it hurt. It _hurt_.

Trinket whined as they walked through the streets, missing the familiar smells and the presence of _people_. Vex’ahlia didn’t cry for the fallen city. She had no tears left.

Greyskull Keep was just as they left it. Still standing, at least.

Her room was untouched and she pulled the few last things she could into a bag. It wasn’t a lot: just an old diary and a few old letters from past suitors she’d received or been too afraid to send. But they were her’s. So she kept them.

Vax’ildan’s room was clean. Vex’ahlia messed it up.

She searched everywhere. _Twice_. Looking for _anything_ that could have belonged to him.

There were a few stray daggers had been tucked in drawers or forgotten about, so she put them in the bag. An old book that she recognised as being Gilmore’s was hidden under his bed, so she put it in the bag. A few Raven feathers had been stuffed under his clothes, out of sight and out of the way. She put them in the bag.

Vex’ahlia shed her cloak and put one of brother’s on. It felt heavy on her shoulders. It probably wasn’t healthy, but it was comforting, so she kept it.

Trinket whined as he sniffed Vax’ildan’s room. He knew something was wrong, and Vex’ahlia wondered if he knew. She wondered if Trinket could also feel the gaping hole that had swallowed her chest.

They left Emon not long after that. Trinket walked along the worn-out paths, Vex’ahlia atop his back. They walked for days, Vex’ahlia gently steering Trinket back towards the mountains, through a forest that smelled familiar.

She waited for night and left Trinket by the trees, promising to be right back.

It was easy enough to slip through the town when it slept. The castle had more guards, but not enough eyes trained on the shadows. Not enough to see Vex’ahlia sneak through, an unfamiliar hood drawn up over her head and hiding her tears when she saw a small memorial with a familiar name carved on it.

She crept through the corridors, melting into the shadows like her brother had taught her to. She heard the sounds of her friends - her _family_ \- sleeping and crept along to her room. The door was open and she peered inside.

The armour was laid out on her bed, as if expecting her.

Vex’ahlia took that as permission and stole it.

She didn’t put it on: not yet.

No, she wouldn’t put it on until Trinket was asleep in the forest just outside of Vasselheim.

It smelt like death and decay and everything Vex’ahlia abhorred… but also of her brother’s hair. Of his sweat, of his blood, of his _life_ and all their battles.

She wore it as she crept into Vasselheim.

The Dragons hadn’t touched this city. Not yet. One day, maybe. But not now. The universe wasn’t kind enough for that. The cruelty of a false sense of security was much more it’s style.

Vex’ahlia slipped through the streets, unnoticed by everyone. The Temple doors were slightly open and Vex’ahlia gripped the necklace around her throat tighter. Trinket stood beside her, gently nuzzling her hand with his head. She reached up and unclasped the necklace, letting it fall to the floor beside her bag, her bow and her brother’s cloak. The idea of Trinket being trapped forever if something happened to her-

Vex’ahlia bent down and kissed Trinket’s head, soaking up his presence for just a moment longer. He moaned as she pulled away, a false promise on her lips and a half-reassuring smile as she turned back to the pool.

The liquid was freezing and _thick_. She’d felt it enough times to know that she was wading into blood. She didn’t know how deep the pool was, but she let it reach her shoulders, reach her neck.

Vex’ahlia let herself paddle out a bit further, turning her head to the ceiling as she swam out to the middle of the pool. She took one last breath before submerging.

The shock of the cold squeezing her head shocked a gasp out of her, and suddenly she tasted copper.

Images of another in the same pool, the same armour, the same long, dark hair came to her mind, unbidden. She wanted to cry, seeing her brother sell his soul to a mask in exchange for her life. She saw his face and felt her heart finally shatter into dust.

Images of another man, in the same pool didn’t shock her. She saw the white hair and the mask that was four times her size and heard the word ‘ _broken_ ’ and felt a strange emotion wash over her. _Bitterness_.

Vex’ahlia blinked and saw a beautiful woman standing in front of her. She blinked and the woman was a porcelain mask over black tendrils that surrounded them both. The ground beneath her feet was solid, but this was a trick. It must be.

“Why did you show me that?” Vex’ahlia demanded, her hands itching to go for a weapon.

 _To understand_. The mask said. No… The universe said. The blood said. Speaking to her mind like her earring did when he friends tried to reach her in a battle. The earring that was now abandoned somewhere in the forest by Whitestone.

“I want him _back_. I don’t care what I have to give up, what I have to _lose_. You took him from me, and I want my brother _back_!” She could hear the crack in her voice and felt the sting of tears, but Vex’ahlia kept her eyes on the mask.

_My domain is the transition between life and death. Your brother died by a demon’s hand and his soul had passed on. You died and returned by the power of Vesh. By me, that is an abomination. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?_

“Because I am Vax’ildan’s flesh and blood. His twin. Everything he could offer, I can. And now that he’s gone, you _need_ me.” Vex’ahlia said, her voice level and pursuasive. (She hoped Scanlan would be proud).

_You think highly of yourself. Your brother was already someone of interest to many. I got to him first. You mean nothing to me._

“You’re lying. If I meant nothing, you would never have let me come back. You would have rejected my brother. Whatever he’s worth, I’m worth just the same.” Vex’ahlia said. “So tell me, what do I have to do to finish what my brother started. If I can’t have him back, then I’m going to carry on his legacy. I’ll submit myself to you if I must, but he did not die in vain. His name will carry on.”

_And you will be the one to carry it?_

“I always have been.” Vex’ahlia said, a thousand memories begging to be played in front of her eyes.

The world suddenly snapped back into focus and she couldn’t breathe. Her arms pulled at the blood, dragging her body in the only direction she really knew. _Up_.

Vex’ahlia’s head broke the surface and she began to cough. Every instinct told her to _swim swim swim_. Blood dripped from her hair into her eyes and blinded her. All she saw was _red red red-_

Hands reached for her and pulled her out onto the cold ground. She felt something being pressed onto her face and it felt like a cloth of some kind, gently wiping the blood away. For a split second, Vex’ahlia had the mental image of Percy standing in front of her when she opened her eyes, the other members of Vox Machina standing around Trinket.

Her eyes opened and she saw figures dressed in dark robes and veils covering their faces. Hands began cleaning the blood off her armour, wiping it from her hair. She let the hands clean her, dizzy from the lack of oxygen and the taste of iron that lined her throat.

The hands untwisted her hair and she felt something being tied around her shoulders. Something soft brushed against the back of her neck and it felt like feathers. It settled heavily against her back. Someone reached forwards and hung the necklace around Vex’ahlia’s throat, letting it hang over her breast plate.

The veiled figures surrounded Trinket, adjusting his armour and replacing it. The new armour was jet black and had small, dark features sewn along the edges. He looked over at Vex’ahlia, a fearful look in his animal eyes. She tried to smile, but couldn’t _quite_ make it.

A figure stepped forwards. They wore no veil, but they did not look unkind. They held something in their hands and Vex’ahlia held their gaze.

"Close your eyes." They said, softly, kindly.

Vex’ahlia’s eyes slipped shut and she felt a weight pressing against her face. It looped around to the back of her head and she felt a heavy knot being tied against her skull.

 _Open your eyes_.

The world was red when she opened her eyes. It took a second to realise that a _mask_ had been tied to her face. She stumbled towards the pool and leaned over it, trying to watch for her reflection.

Stray feathers fluttered down onto the surface of the pool and the tips of her hair brushed against the surface as Vex’ahlia saw the mask of a bird staring back at her. Something about it reminded her of those plague doctor masks Zahra had once shown her pictures of in the library. Expect now she was staring back at it. Whatever had been tied to her, now hung around her like a shaul. Everything about her mimicked what the Raven Queen stood for.

Vex’ahlia felt Trinket pull up beside her and instinctively reached out to scratch his head.

_Go._

_Go, my Omen._

_Carry on your brother’s name. And mine._

Vex’ahlia pulled herself to her feet, keeping her hand in contact with Trinket’s fur. She turned around and found herself alone in the large room with only the fractured moonlight and her bear for a companion.

“Come on, Trinket. Let’s get out of here.” Vex’ahlia said, her voice distorted by the mask she wore. Her voice sounded omnidirectional and ever present. Like an _entity_ more than a person. It was terrifying and incredible at the same time. Like flying, she supposed.

Vex’ahlia picked up her bag and her bow, slinging them both over her torso. Her hand reached down and clasped the cloak. She had no need to wear it. Not any more. But the idea of leaving it here was unbearable.

She reached down and pulled a dagger out of her bag. It cut through the material like it was water, barely leaving a mark. She took the strip and wound it around her wrist, tying it clumsily and tight enough to hurt. The rest of the cloak was stuffed into the bag.

Trinket lowered himself and let Vex’ahlia climb onto his new armour. It was much more comfortable than the previous hide and they rode out of the Temple together.

The Raven Queen’s Omen and her bear.

***

Percival sat in his workshop as the world darkened around him. His sketchbook lay open in front of him and he flipped it shut. The workshop in Whitestone was nowhere near as well equipped for his late-night tinkering as the one that had been built in Emon. There wasn’t even a bed in there.

He stood up and stretched his muscles just a bit. Just enough to rid them of the tension that he carried in his bones.

The echo of Keyleth waking up the castle with shouts of ‘ _VEX IS GONE I CAN’T FIND HER!_ ’ still rattled around inside his head. The images of his friends racing out of the castle with him, desperately getting anyone they could find to help them look danced through his mind at all times.

He still remembered that crippling fear when he found Vex’s earring lodged in the mud.

His footsteps echoed ever so slightly as he walked down the hallways, a light in his hand to guide him. Soft snores (or _loud_ in Grog’s case) and quiet breaths reached him as he approached the living quarters.

A shadow shifted and instantly Percy was alert. His hand reached for his gun and he stilled. The light flickered but he saw something shift down the hallway. It paused, as if it saw him, then suddenly darted up the stairs that lead to the balcony.

Percy gave chase.

He didn’t care how much noise he made as his feet slammed against the stone, he only cared about reaching whatever that shadow was. The gun was cocked and loaded by the time he reached the balcony. Every muscle in his body was ready to shoot on sight, but he stopped.

Percy knew that long, black hair. He knew that armour. He knew that dagger. He knew that longbow. But that was _impossible_.

“ _Vax-_ ” Percy couldn’t breathe. He felt his legs go weak and the Earth seemed to shift to the side all of a sudden.

The figure turned and suddenly Percy’s vision was of a mask not unlike his own. Except his had been built to be functional. This mask was made for a bigger purpose.

“ _Percival_.” The voice was familiar but _everywhere_. It shook him to his core.

It took him a moment to realise that the figure’s arms were around him, keeping him from collapsing. Percy pulled himself upright and stepped away, wanting at least enough to room to draw his gun if this- this- _thing_ turned out to be sinister.

A hand reached up and pulled the mask up. Percy felt his lungs stop.

“ _Vex’ahlia_.” He whispered, worried that the world would shift again. “Vex’ahlia.” He repeated, reaching out towards her.

She didn’t move as Percy’s hands pulled her closer. His hands tightened around her painfully and she gripped his jacket, resting her head on his shoulder. She didn’t react as his hands threaded her hair, felt the feathers that she wore, made sure she was _whole_ and _alive_ and _present_.

“I’m sorry, Percy.” Vex’ahlia said, after a moment too long. She pulled away from Percy, stepping just outside of his reach. “I can’t stay here long.”

“Why not?” Percy half-demanded. He wondered what would happen if he raised the alarm right now in a desperate bid to make her stay. Would the guards be here in time? Would Vox Machina?

“I have work to do.” Vex’ahlia said, pulling the mask back down so it covered her face. It was only know that he could separate the image of Vex’ahlia from the last image of Vax’ildan in his mind.

“ _Please,_ ” Percy begged, reaching out and grasping Vex’ahlia’s hands, “stay for them. We all thought you were _dead_. We thought that we’d lost both of you within a day of each other. It almost broke us. Vex’ahlia, _please_ , just let them know that you’re _alive_.”

“Not yet.” Vex’ahlia said, her voice holding a strangely ominous tone now. “I’ll return when you need me. I’ll explain everything then. But for now, I have duties to fulfill.”

“ _Vex, please_ -” Percy’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “I can’t lose you again.” His eyes burned and he shut them for a moment.

Vex’ahlia took a small step forwards and pushed the mask up again. She pressed her lips to his. It took Percy a second too long to react and by the time he had, Vex’ahlia had stepped back, the mask back in place and her hand slipping out of his.

“I’m not lost, Percival. You’ll know where to find me when you need me.” She said as she stepped back until her legs hit the balcony railing. “Just look for the omens.”

Percy could almost imagine the wink before Vex’ahlia fell backwards over the railing. He ran forwards, reaching out in vain to try and grab her. His hands were forced to grab onto the railing to stop him from following.

The city beneath him was bathed in the gentle breaking of dawn. A small, winged figure was flying over the houses, landing on the street beside something bulky and Percy forced himself to focus on it. He flicked down the small magnifiers on his glasses and felt the air escape his lungs once again, this time in relief.

He watched as the figure looked back and blew a kiss in the direction of the castle before climbing into the bear’s back.

Percival could only pray to Pellor that it wouldn’t be long before he saw that mask again.

**Author's Note:**

> ayo, I'm [queenmoggy](http://queenmoggy.tumblr.com/) on tumblr if you want to talk headcanons with me <3


End file.
